Chicago Restaurants

Wife and I are already planning to have dinner at Alinea during our trip in late September. As that will be a big expense, looking for some other restaurants recommendations that are less $250/pp tasting menu-focused and more a la carte, fun atmosphere, etc. We are staying downtown with no car, so nothing in the burbs.

Portillo’s. Can’t go wrong with the Italian Beef.

Agreed, but I can drive to the one in Scottsdale in 10 minutes!

Mercat a la Planxa for wonderful tapas and atmosphere, nice list.
Carnival for a great assortment of Central/South American cuisine and scenery.

Billions more.

I’ve had some marvelous meals at The Kitchen on Clark right by the river - and they have a very interesting wine list.

We are eating at The Kitchen in Denver on Sunday (totally off topic…)
Was there in March and liked it plenty.

I can still taste the chicken liver mousse at Au Cheval…mmmmm…

Mel - I hope you are enjoying CO! I’m very glad the Kitchen has opened here - and appreciate their strong commitment to local sourcing and give back to schools and kid’s nutrtion programs. As I said, I’ve been several times - and in fact I’m heading there tomorrow for brunch. A few weeks ago, some work friends and I went for brunch and ended up staying all afternoon and having dinner as well - aka the 9 Hour Brunch. I started the day drinking Aberrant Cellars 2012 Philtrum Pinot Noir Blanc and ended it drinking Scholium Project 2013 Gardens of Babylon Petit Syrah/Cab blend and can’t wait to have more.

We’re hosting some work colleagues again and actually planning to go for dinner later at Bohemian House for later dinner (after a river architecture cruise) which I have not been to yet but where my daughter is now cooking on the line - I’ll report back after

Topolobampo, although not necessary wine centric (decent list certainly, I drank funky Tequila including a stunning “Desert Tequila” finished in French Oak for 3 years) was one of my meals of the year last year!

One more - had a great meal at MKs a couple years ago with one of my kids babysitters.

I remember having fun with the wine list and the food was spectacular. Best French Fries -errr, Pommes Frittes with Truffle Sauce, ever, seriously. A duck dish rocked too - everything was great.

To name a few.

Salero
Sepia
Juno - Omakase menu
Yusho
Maude’s Liquor Bar
Publican
MFK
Dove’s diner
GT Fish and Oyster
Naha
Brindille
Acadia
Aviary for cocktails and small plates
Au Cheval
The Dawson
NoMi Kitchen
Cafe Spiaggia or Spiaggia but it is $$$
Les Nomades for French

George

Lots of great suggestions here - thanks all!

Ditto, great frites, everything else quite fine, also.

This looks great!

It is excellent, but pricey. Best local meals that I’ve had recently were Yusho and Intro last night. Intro may not be what you are looking for (6 course prix fixe) but at $95, it is quite a bargain as well. Unfortunately, they are bringing their next chef rotation in at the end of the month, so the experience may be quie different

We had a great time at the last Intro- definitely worth checking to see what the menu looks like under each chef. The manager is from L20 days so service is superb and the pricing so sensible for what they offer.

Mercat is a real favorite - great room, really good food - both the Lobster a la planxa and the lamb are insanely good - very simple preparations cooked to perfection. And try the desert with the herbal marshmallow olive oil thing … can’t remember the name but wow.

Edited to add that I just had dinner at Bohemian House with a group of colleagues and we loved it. I am completely biased since my daughter cooks on the line there but even so … I was not certain I would like the flavors since they focus on Eastern European but we were wowed with really fascinating and good flavors - and while we were not so certain in advance about the chicken mousse appetizer on pumpernickel the kitchen sent out, my friends ordered seconds it was so good - all the food is a wonderful mix of classics with a sophisticated interpretation. They have a very interesting imported beer list with many Czech options which might interest the beer drinkers here. So biased but very happy with my dinner and recommended as a change from all the usual.

just posted some thoughts in a thread in the epicurian forum…was just there for 2 weeks

I will second (third, fourth?) Au Cheval (usually a longer wait- get the burger, green salad, duck heart gravy hash browns and save room for dessert), Maude’s, and add Purple pig, Sable (small plates and serious cocktails), avec (small plates- chorizo stuffed dates are a must), Sumi Robata bar (ask to go down to the charcoal bar for a cocktail before or after dinner), and girl and the goat (or littler goat for brunch/diner)

For some different, really well done food I would throw Parachute into the mix- we really enjoyed our meal there.

Au Cheval
Avec
Katsu
Lula Cafe